Protecting Journalists in Mexico

The panelists talk about a constitutional amendment in Mexico that would federalize criminal attacks on journalists.

The Citizen Media Law Project reports the amendment was recently approved by the Mexican Senate. It still needs to be approved by more than half of the country's 31 state legislatures. Even if it wins approval, the amendment offers no guidance on how it would be enforced.

Drug cartels have made Mexico one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, who are routinely threatened, attacked, or killed if they report on crime.

The Shop Talk panelists are glad to see the amendment might protect citizen journalists as well as professionals. It's an acknowledgement that news can be reported by bloggers and social media users, as has been the case in several Middle Eastern countries in the past year.